


When You Close Your Eyes

by DeansBrokenHeart



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:48:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28545102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeansBrokenHeart/pseuds/DeansBrokenHeart
Summary: All Dean wanted was freedom.   To get off the damn hamster wheel Chuck had them running on their entire lives.  He finds himself questioning his existence as a hunter and how much of their lives had been Chuck's manipulation and how much had been him and his brother and free will.  Then an unexpected reunion forces him to face mistakes he made in the past and in doing so he might just find a new purpose and a reason to keep fighting.
Relationships: Ben Braeden & Lisa Braeden & Dean Winchester, Ben Braeden/Claire Novak, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Kudos: 2





	When You Close Your Eyes

When You Close Your Eyes

Leaning back in his chair, Dean stretched placing his hands on the back of his head. He’d been scanning the internet for anything resembling a job. It was all quiet…unusually so.  
“Freedom is boring,” he mumbled to himself.  
“Still no cases?” Sam asked sitting down across the table from his brother placing a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him.  
“Not a damn thing,” Dean replied downing three strips of bacon. “It’s like with Chuck off the board all the things we used to hunt have ceased to exist.”  
“I highly doubt that,” Sam said, “Wouldn’t break my heart though.”  
“Sammy, no bad crap no hunting, no hunting no purpose,” Dean’s eyes widened emphasizing his point then downed the last of the bacon and took two bites of eggs.  
“You really believe that?” Sam asked.  
“Absolutely,” Dean frowned as he continued to scan social media and online newspapers. “There’s got to be something out there to kill.”  
Sam smiled when a text message from Eileen popped up on his phone.  
“Sam, dinner tonight at my place?”  
He quickly typed back “Sure…seven okay?”  
“See you then.”  
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I have a date tonight,” Sam grinned.  
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell Eileen,” Dean winked.  
“Funny,” Sam said, “Why don’t you get out of the bunker, go for a drive or something?”  
“I think I will. This is a waste of time,” Dean said finishing off the eggs before getting up to take the plate to the kitchen. As he rinsed it off his phone rang in his pocket. Pulling it out he looked at the number. “Hey Jody, what’s up?”  
“Dean, Claire is here with a friend. A case they were working went sideways.”  
“Is she okay?” he asked.  
“A few cuts and bruises and a sprained wrist, but her friend is hurt pretty bad. They could really use your help.”  
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Dean said grabbing his jacket off the back of a chair.  
“Dean, wait…” Jody said, “There’s something you need to know.”  
“What?” he asked.  
“Claire’s friend…it’s Ben.”  
Dean stopped cold, pressing his hand to the wall to steady himself. The full weight of Jody’s revelation hit him like a runaway train. “My Ben,” he asked softly.  
“Yes,” Jody said.  
“What the hell?” Dean asked, “Ben is a hunter?”  
“Yes, he and Claire crossed paths on a vampire hunt in Washington six months ago. I didn’t put it all together until they showed up here.”  
Dean fell silent leaning back against the wall.  
“Dean?”  
“I’m on my way,” he said then ended the call.  
He passed Sam in the corridor his face etched with emotion. “I’ve got to go…”  
“Dean, who were you talking to? What’s going on?” Sam asked caught totally off guard by the look of sheer pain in his brother’s eyes.  
“It was Jody, Ben is at her place and he’s hurt.”  
“Ben? As in Lisa and Ben?” Sam asked stunned.  
“Yes, apparently he has been hunting with Claire.”  
“What? How? That makes no sense.”  
“I’m going,” Dean said heading straight for the stairs.  
“Wait I am coming with you.”  
“What about your date?”  
“I’ll text her she’ll understand.”  
“Fine, come on then,” Dean said as he ran up the steps. He slid behind the wheel and started the Impala fighting back overwhelming emotions. He had never gotten over what he had done to Ben and Lisa. The wound was still just as raw as the day he walked away from them.  
“I should drive,” Sam said before getting in the car.  
“No,” Dean said vehemently. He barely gave his brother time to shut the door before he hit the gas spinning tires in the loose gravel.  
“Dean…”  
“Back off, Sam!”  
Sam reluctantly fell silent.

Claire finished cleaning and stitching up the deep wounds on Ben’s back and shoulder. She felt him wince then he swore under his breath as she bandaged them. “I’ll get you something for the pain.”  
“I’ll be fine,” Ben said through clenched teeth. He rolled over, slid his legs over the side of the bed and sat upright. His face contorted as he carefully put his blue flannel shirt on.  
“You should go to the hospital,” Claire said.  
“You know how I feel about hospitals,” he said.  
“I thought I’d lost you back there,” she whispered looking into his dark brown eyes.  
“Sorry, still here,” he grinned then kissed her.  
Jody walked into the room and by the look on her face Claire knew she had called in reinforcements.  
“Are they coming?” Claire asked.  
“They should be on their way now,” Jody replied.  
“Who?” Ben asked.  
“Friends,” Jody said, “They can help.”  
“The Winchesters,” Claire said searching his face for a reaction.  
“As in the hunter brothers?” he asked.  
Jody nodded, “Yes, they are family.”  
“Are they for real?”  
“Oh yeah, they are very much for real,” Jody replied.  
“I have heard the stories,” Ben said noticing the odd looks between Claire and Jody. “What?” he asked.  
“Nothing,” Claire replied, “I’m starving, do you want something to eat?”  
“Definitely.”  
“Lie back down and I will go make you something.”  
“I’m fine,” Ben said as he rose to his feet trying to hide the excruciating pain.  
“You know, you are a stubborn ass,” Claire said.  
“Yeah, I know…food,” he grinned.  
Jody followed them out of the bedroom before pausing in the hallway to send Dean a text. “He doesn’t seem to remember…”  
Dean told her about Lisa and Ben, and the extreme measures he had taken to protect them from the same fate that had befallen just about everyone else he ever cared about. Ben had not mentioned his mother and Jody was afraid to ask. She  
knew all too well what usually drove someone to become a hunter. You were either born to it or yanked into it unwillingly by violent tragedy.

Dean glanced at Jody’s text his gut twisting. Pressing harder on the accelerator the Impala picked up speed. Trying to focus on the winding asphalt ahead he pushed it all down. He’d imagined countless times the scenarios that could bring him face to face with them again and this sure as hell wasn’t one of them.  
“Dean, are we going to talk about this?”  
“No,” he stated bluntly.  
“This is huge, man. Ben…hunting,” Sam said.  
“Sam, stop,” Dean snapped at his brother.  
“Fine,” he replied then looking at his phone he read Eileen’s text again. Lately, Sam had found himself daring to believe that maybe they could actually build a life together. She understood him and this insane life.  
Dean glanced over noticing the look on his brother’s face. “Are you going to marry that girl?”  
“What?” Sam asked.  
“You’re like a neon sign in Vegas, Sammy,” Dean said.  
“I’m not sure she is ready for that step…not sure I am ready.”  
“Look man, with everything Chuck put us through one of us deserves to be happy and have a normal life.”  
“One of us? What about you?”  
Dean shrugged, “I’m happy.”  
“Right. Could have fooled me.”  
“Well, I still think you should marry Eileen. She is good for you.”  
Sam gave a slight nod. “Yeah she is.”  
“I want you to be happy, Sam. You deserve it.”  
“So do you, Dean.”  
Dean didn’t respond just turned his attention back to the road as they hit the highway leading to Sioux Falls. Sam had something real with Eileen while his own future held nothing but empty promises. He knew exactly what was waiting for him at the finish line…darkness and death.  
“What are you going to do?” Sam asked.  
“No freaking clue,” Dean replied.

Jody heard the Impala pull into the driveway walking out of the house to greet the boys. “How’s he doing?” she asked Sam as they waited for Dean to get out of the car.  
“He’s refusing to discuss it,” Sam replied giving her a hug.  
“Classic Dean.”  
“Yeah,” Sam nodded.  
“Jody,” Dean said embracing her, “Thanks for the call.”  
“Are you sure you are ready for this?” she asked.  
“No, not really. What happened?”  
“Something in the place they were investigating…it threw him off a third story balcony and he crashed through the roof below.”  
“Are you sure he doesn’t remember?”  
“As far as I can tell he doesn’t. But when he sees you, things could come back to him. Are you prepared for that?”  
“Probably not,” he replied then headed toward the house.  
Claire opened the door. Dean gave her a hug, “Hey kiddo, I’m glad you are okay.”  
“Always am,” she said with a bright smile.  
“Where is he?”  
Claire tilted her head then stepped aside so he could pass.  
Dean walked into the living room not sure what to expect, but when Ben rose up from the sofa and stood eye to eye with the man who had once been a big part of his life there was no recognition, no reaction. He stretched out his hand and Dean shook it as if meeting a total stranger. This man before him was Ben, but not Ben. He fought back a wave of regret and sadness.  
“I’m Dean…Winchester,” Dean said, “This is my brother Sam.”  
“Ben Braeden…so you are the legendary Winchester brothers. I have heard so many stories.”  
“Don’t believe everything you hear,” Sam said shaking Ben’s hand.  
“I can’t believe Claire never told me she knew you guys,” Ben said as he sat back down on the sofa.  
“Yeah, they might have saved my life a few times,” Claire smiled taking a seat next to him.  
“Just a few,” Dean said.  
“Do you guys want a beer?” Jody asked.  
“Sounds good. I’ll give you a hand,” Sam replied following her into the kitchen. “This is insane,” he said keeping his voice down.  
“I can’t even imagine how hard this is for him. To see Ben again after all these years and have him not even know who he is,” Jody said as she handed Sam an open bottle of beer.  
“Yeah, well he made the decision to have Cas wipe their memories. I told him back then that it was wrong, but he refused to listen. Threatened to break my nose if I ever brought them up again. Has Ben mentioned his mom?”  
“No and I haven’t asked.”  
“How did he end up hunting?”  
“Genetics,” Jody shrugged.  
“But he isn’t really Dean’s son. Lisa told him…”  
“What if she didn’t really know?”  
“Or she lied,” Sam said.  
“Well, in the short time I have spent with that kid, I have seen a whole lot of Dean in him.”  
“He could really be Dean’s son…” Sam said his voice trailing off.  
“This could get really messy real fast,” Jody said.  
Returning to the living room, Jody handed Dean his beer. “Thanks,” he said with a relaxed smile that belied the obvious misery in his green eyes. She smiled, gently squeezing his shoulder.  
“So Jody tells us you got hurt investigating a haunting,” Sam said.  
“Yes, the house is located about twenty minutes out of Sioux Falls, a town called Rowena. There’s something really dark in that place. The family needs help desperately. A mother and her six kids, her husband died last year in a construction accident leaving her with no resources to move.”  
“Rowena?” Dean asked, exchanging looks with his brother. “Where is the family now?” Dean asked barely able make eye contact with Ben.  
“We put them up in a motel here in town until it is safe for them to go back home,” Claire said.  
“We’ll go check it out,” Sam said.  
“We’re coming with you,” Ben said.  
“The hell you are,” Dean reacted, the blatant raw emotion in his tone caused Ben to eye him curiously.  
Claire jumped in to provide cover for Dean, “We can go with you. We just won’t go inside.”  
“Sounds good,” Sam responded as his brother struggled to regain control.  
The dark green and white Victorian stood in the middle of a large, wooded lot, the nearest neighbor half a mile away. Three stories with wraparound porches on the first and second level and a large balcony on the third.  
Sam opened the trunk as Dean joined him. Ben and Claire came around behind them seeing the arsenal inside.  
“Whoa is that a grenade launcher?” Ben asked excitedly.  
“Yeah, it is,” Dean grinned with pride. “You two, stay,” he ordered shutting the trunk then, carrying the duffel bag, he followed Sam up the old wooden steps to the front door. He glanced back over his shoulder. “This is so surreal, man.”  
“Yes, it is,” Sam said.  
“I have to admit, part of me wanted him to remember.”  
“Sorry, Dean, but this is all your doing.”  
“Gee thanks, Sam…I didn’t know that,” Dean responded.  
“Let’s get this family back in their home, then we’ll figure out what to do about Ben.”  
Sam opened the door and immediately headed up the stairs to the second level while Dean checked the downstairs rooms with the EMF meter. The readings were off the charts. He walked into the kitchen. A persistent humming sound emanated up from beneath his feet with such intensity that the floorboards were literally vibrating. He found a stairway leading down from the kitchen to an old cellar door.  
“Not creepy at all,” he said moving cautiously down the steps. Yanking open the door he was immediately confronted with the all too familiar stench of death. Spotting a light switch, he hit it with his elbow while pulling the shot gun out of his bag. Light flooded the century-old stone room from ancient florescent fixtures. Cobwebs full of crawling things hung down from the wood beams over his head.  
“Come out come out wherever you are,” Dean said, his eyes scanning the walls. An amorphous inky-black apparition suddenly emerged from the corner and shot across the room. He watched as it grew in size reaching up the walls spreading out, surrounding him. The humming grew louder and louder until it was literally inside his head. He winced resisting the urge to cover his ears as it morphed into a shrill scream.  
“Son of a bitch,” Dean yelled, “Get out of my head!”  
The shadow transformed into a human shape about seven feet tall with orange glowing pits where eyes should have been. Dean raised the shotgun and fired, but all it did was add to the assault on his senses. His vision pulsated with the sound reverberation off the walls. He dropped to his knees covering his ears, his eyes closed tightly.  
“Dean,” Sam shouted from the top of the stairs.  
“Sam!”  
The figure seemed to shrink back into the wall as Sam reached his brother. “What the hell is that thing?”  
“It’s in my damn head!”  
Grabbing the duffel bag, Sam pulled a white quartz crystal cluster from a small leather pouch. Holding it out in front of him he began to recite the spell Rowena had taught him. The entire house shook violently, glass jars and metal tools flew off shelves the stone walls groaning and popping.  
Dean flattened himself against the wall as he heard the sound of splitting wood above him. Seconds later a beam broke in half and came crashing down at his feet.  
Uttering the final words of the spell, the crystal began to burn white-hot in Sam’s hands. The apparition transformed into a blinding light and was drawn into the crystal emitting an ear-splitting wail. The cluster vibrated and started to break apart.  
“Sam,” Dean yelled, “Let it go!”  
“I can’t,” his brother hissed through clenched teeth. “Get out of here now, Dean!”  
“Drop the damn thing.”  
“Dean, go…now!”  
Dean spotted an old cistern in the corner of the cellar just as Ben and Claire came down the steps. “Ben, help me,” he shouted and together they shoved the heavy cast iron cover off the cistern. “Sam, throw it in now.”  
“Get back,” Sam cried out in anguish tossing the Crystal into the abyss just as it exploded with a force that threw them all backward. Sam landed on his back his hands burning like hellfire.  
“Sam,” Claire said removing her shirt, leaving her with only a tank top. The chill of the cellar on her bare arms made her shiver as she ripped pieces of the material so she could wrap Sam’s hands. Dean moved toward them, but Claire stopped him. “Dean, I got him check on Ben, please,” she urged.  
“Ben,” Dean said, reaching his side just as he was coming to. “Come on we have to get out of here,” he said helping him to his feet.  
“Son of a bitch,” Ben muttered, struggling to open his eyes. His face contorted in agony. Blood from his earlier wounds soaked the back of shirt and flowed from a fresh cut above his eye. “Should have stayed in the car.”  
“Yeah, you should have,” Dean snapped at him.  
Claire moved beneath his other arm and together they helped Ben up the steps and out of the house with Sam right behind them.  
Reaching the Impala, Dean retrieved the first aid kit from the trunk. Unwrapping his brother’s hands he examined them in the daylight, relieved to see the burns were not as severe as he had feared. Sam flinched, as he treated the burns and wrapped his hands in clean bandages.  
“What the hell, Sam?”  
“Hey, it worked,” Sam responded, “The house is clear.”  
“Next time warn me,” Dean said helping him into the passenger seat.  
“Dean,” Claire said fearfully, “Ben needs a doctor. He tore his stiches. I can’t get the bleeding under control and I think he has broken ribs.”  
“Let’s get him in the car and I’ll drive to the nearest emergency room.”  
“I’m not going to the hospital,” Ben rejected the plan vehemently.  
“You are going to the hospital, Ben…period,” Dean countered. “I’m not losing you again,” he said.  
Ben fell silent as they drove slipping in and out of consciousness. Claire kept pressure on his wounds. Dean glanced back at the two of them in the rearview mirror. He still could not wrap his head around the situation. Ben was a hunter; he and Claire were obviously a thing. This was all too much.  
“Son of a bitch,” Dean said under his breath.

Jody arrived at the hospital Alex met her at the entrance, “Where are they?”  
“This way,” Alex motioned, and they moved down the corridor to the waiting area. “Ben is in surgery.”  
The sight of Claire sitting on the floor in the waiting room her top stained with blood, knees pulled up to her chest, wracked Jody’s soul. “Claire, honey…” she said softly.  
Claire looked up her blue eyes filled with tears, “Jody, I can’t lose him.”  
“I know,” Jody said taking off her jacket. She gently urged Claire to get up from the floor wrapping it around the trembling young woman’s shoulders. They sat down on the sofa together.  
“Where are Sam and Dean?” Jody asked Alex.  
“Sam burned his hands. He is in the ER Dean is with him. I’ll go check on Ben,” Alex said handing Claire a cup of coffee.  
“Thank you, Alex,” Claire said.  
“I will be back as soon as I find out something.”  
Jody smoothed Claire’s blonde hair back from her tearstained face. “Are you hurt?”  
“I’m okay.”  
“Claire, please talk to me...I know you’re not okay.”  
Claire folded into Jody’s arms tears streaming down her face. “I love him.”  
“I know you do.”  
“He can’t die,” she whispered, “He just can’t.”  
Alex returned twenty minutes later only to be stopped in the corridor by a visibly distraught woman with dark hair and eyes. “I’m looking for my son, where is he?” she asked Alex.  
“Oh boy,” Jody said softly, “Claire, is that who I think it is?”  
“Ben’s mom,” Claire replied struggling to pull herself together. She wiped her eyes and stood up. “Lisa,” she said as she approached the brunette. “I’m Claire Novak.”  
Lisa stared at the young woman in confusion, “Do I know you?”  
“I’m Ben’s girlfriend.”  
“I didn’t even know he had a girlfriend. Where’s my son?”  
“He’s still in surgery,” Alex said, “All I know is that he has several broken ribs, a punctured lung and possibly other internal injuries. He’s lost a lot of blood.”  
“Oh my God, what happened to him?” Lisa cried.  
“Ms. Braeden, I’m Sheriff Jody Mills,” Jody said, “Come sit down and we’ll talk.” Claire led Lisa into the waiting room while Jody held back. “Alex…”  
Alex nodded in understanding then headed toward the emergency room to find Dean. Rounding a corner she ran right into him.  
“Whoa Alex, is Ben…?”  
“He’s still in surgery. Dean…Lisa is here. She’s in the waiting room with Jody and Claire.”  
“Crap,” Dean said, taking a step backward as if he had been punched in the gut.  
“What are you going to do?”  
“Honestly, I’d much rather fight fifty hell hounds with a fly swatter than face her,” he replied.  
“You still love her don’t you.”  
Dean rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, I do,” he said.  
“Then man up, Winchester, and face the music,” Alex replied bluntly.  
“Thanks for the pep talk,” he grumbled under his breath.  
“No problem,” Alex smiled then turned and walked down the hallway.

“Lisa, can I get you anything?” Claire asked.  
“I just want to see my son,” Lisa responded in frustration and anger.  
“Believe me, I’d take his place in a second if I could,” Claire said quickly wiping away tears.  
Lisa’s expression softened. It was obvious that the girl was hurting as well. “You really care for my Ben, don’t you?”  
“Very much.”  
“I can’t believe he never told me about you.”  
“I guess he had his reasons.”  
“He used to tell me everything. I don’t know what happened.”  
“It’s hard, I know,” Jody said.  
“You have kids?” Lisa asked.  
“I had a son…he was killed.”  
“I’m sorry,” Lisa said.  
“But I am a surrogate mom to four strong young women who keep me on my toes,” Jody smiled proudly.  
“Especially me,” Claire smiled sadly.  
Jody stood up as she spotted Dean lingering around the corner. “I’ll be back in just a second,” she said.  
“Dean, I sent Alex to warn you.”  
“Thanks.”  
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”  
“No,” he said, “But what choice do I have?”  
“Are you gonna be okay?”  
“Not even close,” he replied with a forced smile.  
Jody nodded then stepped back into the waiting room. “Claire, come on let’s go get you something to eat.”  
Claire started to refuse until she saw Dean. In all the time she had known him she had never seen that look in his eyes. He was scared.  
“Lisa, we’ll be back in a bit,” Claire said then got up. Passing Dean, she squeezed his hand giving him a reassuring smile. “Good luck.”  
“Thanks,” he responded watching them go.  
Taking a deep breath he walked into the room. He cleared his throat turning to pour a cup of coffee, keeping his back to her as he struggled to get his emotions under control.  
“Do I know you?” Lisa asked.  
Dean looked up at the ceiling then turned to face her. “Me? No, I don’t think so.”  
She stared intently at him and for a split-second Dean thought he saw a flash of something in her dark eyes. She was even more beautiful than the last time he had seen her. For about a year after he left, he had checked in on them, watching from a distance, to make sure they were safe. Until eventually it just became too painful.  
“You uh, must be Ben’s mom.”  
“Who are you?” Lisa asked.  
“I’m—I’m a friend. I’m the one who brought Ben here.”  
“What happened to my son, no one will tell me anything?”  
“Ben, was hurt in an accident.”  
“What kind of accident?” Lisa asked.  
“He’s going to be okay. I promise.”  
“How can you possibly make that promise?”  
“Trust me, he is going to be just fine.”  
“You look so familiar,” she said.  
“I just have one of those faces,” he said with a crooked grin.  
Lisa stood up closing the distance between them until she was standing less than two feet away. She stared into his intense green eyes.  
Dean lowered his gaze unable to take her scrutiny any longer. “I’m uh, just gonna…go,” he faltered turning to leave.  
“Son of a bitch,” Lisa said.  
Dean turned around, instantly regretting the decision as the palm of her hand impacted his face full force catching him completely off guard.  
“Lisa,” he blurted out his hand going to his stinging cheek, “Crap."  
“Dean Winchester.”  
“Lisa—I’m…”  
“Don’t…just don’t…” she snapped, her eyes filling with tears as a tsunami of memories washed over her.  
“Lisa, can we please just sit down and talk?”  
“What you did to us...”  
“I know,” Dean said, his voice breaking, his own eyes brimming with tears.  
“Damn you…” Lisa said as she stepped closer to him. She raised her trembling hands causing Dean to brace for round two, but instead she just touched his unshaven face.  
“Lisa, please…”  
“I want so badly to slap you again,” she said, her voice breaking. “But…I’d rather do this,” she choked back a sob wrapping her arms around his neck pressing her lips to his in a sweet kiss that was nearly his undoing.  
“I’m so sorry, Lisa.”  
“Just tell me why, Dean?”  
“I had to protect you and Ben.”  
“From what?”  
“From me,” he replied flatly.  
“From you? Really? He’s in a damn hospital, and if you’re here that means it was not just a simple accident. Your problem has always been that you think you can protect us by lying and burying your feelings. Like that night you came to my bedroom, I knew something was wrong with you. You shoved Ben. I was terrified, Dean. Terrified because I knew that you would never intentionally hurt Ben like that.”  
“Sometimes the truth is far worse than a lie.”  
“You don’t get it, do you? We were supposed to be a family. Tell me the damn truth, Dean! You owe me that much.”  
“Fine, the truth is, that night I came to your bedroom it was to say goodbye. I was a damn blood-sucking vampire. All I wanted to do was see you both again and tell you what you meant to me before I came to my end. It was all I could do to get out of there before I ripped both of your throats out. That’s the truth.”  
Lisa stopped cold. “Okay…not what I was expecting at all.”  
“Now do you understand?”  
“A vampire? What the hell, Dean?”  
“Yeah, a real live—dead whatever…vampire.”  
“But you’re not one now?”  
“No.”  
“Interesting,” Lisa said staring at him for a moment then broke into a smile. “Wow it’s like a scene right out of Twilight. Did you sparkle?”  
“Uh no…I would have decapitated myself,” Dean replied.  
“How did you become human again?”  
“My grandfather…he had the cure. We can cure them now as long as they don’t feed after being turned.”  
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lisa said her eyes sparkling with mirth.  
“What is so funny?”  
“Sorry, still can’t shake the mental image of you as a sparkly angsty vampire.”  
“I’m so glad you’re amused.”  
“I’m still pissed,” she said.  
“Lisa, I know I screwed up everything. I put you both in danger and it nearly killed you. The only way I could be sure you were safe was to cease to exist and set you free.”  
“You walked away…you left us. And worse, you took our memories…not just the bad but the good ones as well. You may have erased yourself from our lives, but you failed to erase yourself from in here,” she said placing her hand over her heart. “All these years I felt like a huge piece of me was missing and I had no idea why.”  
“Lisa, I did what I thought was best. It was safer if I was just gone.”  
“Safer for us or for you?”  
“What?”  
“You didn’t do it for us. You did it to protect yourself. You shut us out of your life because you believed you were a danger to us. But you weren’t, we were a danger to you.”  
“I almost got you both killed.”  
“Don’t you get it, Dean? You killed us…just in an entirely different way.”  
Dean dropped his gaze turning away from her. He sat down on the sofa staring at his hands. Lisa sat next to him.  
“Please, stop hiding behind your job and be honest for once.”  
“Walking away…it nearly killed me,” Dean said softly. “Lisa, I—I wanted a normal life with you and Ben so badly. It’s all I ever wanted. I know I can’t have it,” he said his voice trailing off.  
“Why not?” she asked.  
Dean looked at her incredulously, “Have you met me? Hello, Dean Winchester. The man who brought you nothing but pain and misery.”  
“The man I fell in love with,” Lisa said softly.  
“Yeah, and I destroyed that too.”  
“Dean, that piece of me that was missing isn’t missing anymore. You may have taken my memories, but you were always there. God help me, I still love you.”  
“I’m so not that guy anymore. Not even close.”  
“Look into my eyes and tell me that you don’t love me anymore.”  
“I can’t,” Dean met her gaze reluctantly, “Because I’d be lying.”  
“See telling the truth isn’t so hard,” she smiled.  
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.  
“Flattery will get you nowhere.”  
“Okay, I’ll stop.”  
“Well, maybe it will get you this,” she smiled leaning in to kiss his lips.  
Dean slid his arm around her placing his other hand on her neck as he deepened the kiss. “I missed you.”  
“Dean, promise me…no more lies, no more games, please.”  
“I promise,” he replied.  
“Tell me what happened to Ben…the truth.”  
“You’re not gonna like it.”  
“Obviously.”  
“When was the last time you talked to him?”  
“He called me two weeks ago, said he was on a road trip with a friend. I’m guessing that friend is the blonde. He just up and left college. Dropped out. Refused to tell me anything.”  
“Ben and Claire have been…hunting together.”  
“Hunting? As in your kind of hunting?” she asked in disbelief.  
“Yes.”  
“Oh God,” Lisa got up from the sofa and started pacing. “When he was in high school, he developed an obsession for all things paranormal…monsters, ghosts. He asked to take shooting lessons. I told him no, but eventually I relented.”  
“Lisa, Ben…he’s my son isn’t he.”  
“What? No, Dean, I told you who his father…”  
“We have the same blood type, Lisa…O negative,” Dean said, “It’s rare. He needed blood so I gave it. Sam has it too.”  
Lisa stopped pacing, “We should do a DNA test just to be sure.”  
“I already asked the doctor to do one.”  
“I supposed it is possible,” she said.  
“I don’t know how to fix this, Lisa. Ben doesn’t remember me at all.”  
“Dean, you said you want a normal life with me…with Ben. I don’t know if it is possible or not, but I am willing to try.  
“But you already have a life, I can’t ask you to give that all up.”  
“Right. I have a job I hate. I haven’t been able to keep a relationship for more than a couple of months. My—our son shut me out of his life. He has been hunting things that go bump in the night behind my back. Then out of the blue I get a phone call to come to Sioux Falls because he is hurt.”  
“Who called you anyway?”  
“I did,” Sam said from the doorway. “I found Ben’s phone in the backseat of the Impala and called her.”  
“Sam,” Lisa said, “That was you?  
“Yes, Ben needed you…so did my brother.”  
“Thank you,” she said.  
“You’re welcome,” he smiled.  
“How’s the hands?” Dean asked.  
“I’ll be okay.”  
“They released you?”  
“Yeah, and I saw Alex. Ben is out of surgery and being moved into recovery.”  
“Thank God,” Lisa said.  
“What about you two?” Sam asked, “Are you going to be okay?”  
“Working on it,” Dean replied then looked at Lisa.  
“I’m sorry, Lisa. It was my fault,” Sam said, “I know I messed things up between you and Dean.”  
“Sam…” she replied.  
“My brother loves you and Ben. He never stopped, not for one second.”  
Dean looked at him questioningly, “How…”  
“Like a neon sign in Vegas,” Sam grinned then turned and walked out of the room.

Ben opened his eyes, awakened by the sounds of machines around him. The room was empty except for a pretty brunette nurse looking at a clipboard. His vision cleared and he recognized her from photos on Claire’s phone.  
“Alex?” he said his voice raspy, his mouth felt dry as a desert.  
“Hey, you’re awake,” she said, moving to the bed to check his vitals.  
“Water, please,” he asked.  
“Sure,” Alex said handing him the plastic mug with a straw.  
“Claire?” he asked, “Is she okay?”  
“They will be back soon.”  
“They?”  
“Your mom is here,” Alex said then turned and left the room.  
“Crap,” he grumbled.  
Alex smiled, “I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake then I will go find them for you.”  
“Thank you,” Ben replied.  
When she was gone, he tried to shift positions. Pressing the button on the bed to raise it, an excruciating pain shot through his chest and back immediately letting him know that was a bad idea. He looked out the window wishing he could get out of there. He hated hospitals.  
The door of his room opened. He expected to see Claire or his mom, but it was just another doctor. “I’m Dr. Kline,” the doctor smiled reassuringly. He appeared to Ben to be around his age which he thought was odd.  
“Are you sure you’re a doctor?”  
“I’m a specialist,” the doctor smiled. He placed a hand over Ben’s chest his eyes burning like a golden fire.  
“What are you doing to me?” Ben asked in a panic, his entire body shaking as an intense warmth washed over him.  
“You’re good now,” Dr. Kline said his eyes returning to normal.  
“Who—What are you?” Ben demanded jolting upright in the bed immediately realizing the pain was gone and so were his wounds. “I don’t understand.”  
“Take care of them for me.”  
“Take care of who?”  
“Goodbye, Ben,” the doctor said then left the room.  
Dean had just poured himself a cup of coffee and was walking toward Ben’s room when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure at the end of the corridor just before he vanished. His eyes glistened with tears of relief. “Jack,” he whispered.  
Pushing the door open he found Ben fully dressed and putting on his boots.  
“I’m getting out of here now,” Ben said glancing at Dean.  
“Slow down, Ben…you just got vertical.”  
“I don’t know who or what that was, but he healed me, and I am leaving.”  
“That was Jack,” Dean said taking a hesitant step toward the young man.  
Ben looked at him surprised, “What was he?”  
“Long story…but he’s family.”  
“You have one screwed up family.”  
“Ben,” Dean faltered dropping his and putting a hand to the back of his neck, we need to talk before you go.”  
“Why?”  
“Because there are things you need to know.”  
“Like why you walked out on us?” Ben blurted out before he could stop himself.  
“You remember?” Dean asked stunned.  
“I remember everything,” he said bitterly.  
“How long have you known?”  
“Since just before I left school. A friend of yours paid me a visit, weird dude in a trench coat. He showed up in my dorm room in the middle of the night. He told me I had a job to do. That I needed to find Claire and protect her and that she would lead me to you.”  
“Cas,” Dean said softly.  
“Another member of your screwed-up family I take it.”  
“Yes, he was.”  
“Was?”  
“He’s dead.”  
“I’m sorry.”  
“What else did he tell you?”  
“He told me not to tell my mom, but I figured she was better off not knowing anyway.”  
“Ben,” Dean said, “I’m so sorry.”  
“You walked out on your family, Dean!”  
“I thought I was doing the right thing. I was so scared that something bad would happen if I stayed. I thought it would be easier for you both…if it were like I never existed.”  
“Well, you were wrong.”  
“I shouldn’t have put you in that position.”  
Ben stood up and looked Dean directly in the eyes. “You know I didn’t even have to ask him what job he needed me to do? I knew it instinctively…I had been preparing for it for years.”  
“Hunting…” Dean said.  
“You see, Dean...you once told me that you couldn’t be a part of my life because I would end up like you. Well, here I am just like you. Doing the job because it is what I am supposed to do, and I am damn good at it.”  
“Ben, I just wanted to keep you safe. After your mom almost died...”  
“You need to go before she sees you,” Ben said.  
“Too late for that.”  
“She knows?”  
“Yes,” Dean said, “She knows everything now.”  
“And you’re still breathing?” Ben asked with a slight smirk.  
“My face still stings from when she slapped me, but yeah.”  
“When you walked into Jody’s house, I wanted so badly to rearrange your face.”  
“Well, now you’re back in fighting shape,” Dean said walking up to him, “Do it. I deserve it and worse.”  
Ben stared at him then shook his head. “No, Dean, I can’t punish you any more than you have already punished yourself.”  
“For whatever it’s worth, I haven’t lived one day without regret for what I did you and your mom. Especially now...”  
Ben stopped cold staring at Dean. “Why especially now?”  
“When we brought you in, you had lost a lot of blood. You and I have the same blood type, so I gave blood for you. I asked the doctors to run a DNA test. There’s no doubt about it, Ben, you are my son.”  
“Really?” Ben asked, his dark eyes shining with tears.  
“Luke, I am your father,” Dean said in his best Darth Vader voice.  
Ben couldn’t hold back a smile.  
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” Dean grinned then placing his hand on Ben’s shoulder he said, “Forgive me, Ben, please.”  
A shockwave of emotion surged through Ben as he moved into the arms of his father. Dean Winchester was his dad. The anger he had carried with him for so long melted away.  
“I love you, Ben,” Dean said his voice breaking.  
Ben responded by tightening his grip on Dean as if he were afraid to let go.  
“I’m never leaving you again, I swear.”  
“And mom?”  
“It’s complicated,” Dean said as he drew back from his son, “But we are working things out. It will take some time.”  
“She’s going to kill me when she finds out I left school to hunt.”  
“Oh Buddy, she already knows,” Dean said.  
“Crap.”  
“Don’t worry I’ve got your back.”  
“Can we get out of here now?”  
“Yeah, let’s go before we have to explain your miraculous recovery to the doctors,” Dean said putting his hand on Ben’s shoulder as they walked out the door and headed down the hallway.  
“So hey…if I’m your son, does that give me Impala driving privileges?”  
Dean laughed, “You got it.”  
“Sweet. Can I try out the grenade launcher?”  
“No…well, maybe…okay, just don’t tell your mom. Or Sam.”  
“Deal,” Ben laughed.  
They walked into the waiting room as both Claire and Lisa looked up in total shock. Lisa jumped up throwing her arms around Ben.  
“Ben, oh my God, you’re okay?”  
“I’m good, Mom.”  
Lisa touched his face tears of relief in her eyes as she looked over at Dean.  
“I’m sorry, mom,” Ben said, “I should have told you the truth. But I won’t go back to college. I have a job to do and I’m good at it.”  
“Yes, I know, you are your father’s son. Just promise from here on out you will be honest with me.”  
“I promise,” Ben said hugging his mom.  
“I love you,” Lisa smiled.  
“Love you too.”  
Dean put his arm around Lisa as Ben stepped away to embrace Claire.  
“You’re okay,” Claire said choking back tears.  
“I’m better than okay,” he grinned.  
“I don’t know what I would have done…” she whispered.  
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said kissing her tenderly.  
Jody smiled through her tears. She was so happy for Claire and especially for Dean. It was so obvious the change in him. The light in his eyes. In all the years she had known him he had always kept up a façade. Masking his pain with a double dose of whit and sarcasm.  
“Well, I am going to make my exit,” Jody said getting up from the chair.  
Dean hugged her, “Thank you…for everything.”  
“No problem,” she smiled.  
He walked with her into the hallway, “I am so damn ecstatic…and terrified.”  
“You’re a good man, Dean Winchester,” Jody smiled, “You’ve got this.”  
“Yeah…I do,” Dean said with a nod.  
Jody walked away pausing to hug Sam who had just come back in from the parking lot.  
“Car’s out front,” Sam said, “Eileen is coming to pick me up for our dinner date. Are you okay?”  
“I am good,” Dean smiled.  
“Man, you’re really a dad.”  
“Sammy, I’m scared.”  
“I know you are.”  
“I can’t screw this up again.”  
“You won’t. You practically raised me, Dean.”  
“Yeah and look how you turned out,” he grinned.  
“Shut up,” Sam said, “Take your family home. I’ll see you there later.”  
“What? No sleepover with Eileen?”  
“For your information, she is flying to Ireland tomorrow morning.”  
“You could go with.”  
“I’m needed here. She has a couple of jobs I am going to wrap up for her.”  
“Okay, well…I will see you at home later then. Oh hey…”  
“I know beer and pie,” Sam grinned as he turned and headed out of the building.  
“He knows me so well,” Dean said with a chuckle.

“Home sweet home,” Dean said as he opened the door to the bunker.  
“Awesome,” Ben exclaimed leaning over the railing, looking down on the floor below.  
“Cool,” Claire said, “The infamous bunker.”  
Lisa joined them at the railing. “Dean this is…” she said in complete shock.  
“I know right.”  
Ben and Claire bounded down the steps like two kids on Christmas morning. Lisa stood quietly. Dean touched her back and she turned to look at him.  
“Just give me a minute. This is a lot to take in. You really live in a secret lair. Your life…you have changed.”  
“I’m still me,” he smiled.  
“I cannot even begin to imagine everything you have been through and I’m not sure I ever want to know.”  
Dean caressed her cheek sliding his hand gently to the back of her neck as he drew her into his arms. “None of that matters now. You and Ben are here, and I am so damn thrilled I have no words.”  
“I know, but I can’t help wondering if you’re going to walk away as soon as things go bad. I can’t go through that again.”  
“Things will go bad…they always do. But, Lisa, I can promise you that I am never letting you and Ben go again. I know it isn’t the house with the white picket fence you deserve, but this is home, and it is safe. I want you and Ben to live here with me.”  
“Dean…”  
“Just think about it, please. I know it’s a lot to ask.”  
“The one thing I am sure of is that my home is where you are,” Lisa said as she placed her hands on his chest.  
Dean kissed her lips gently. “We can take this as slow as you need to. I know I have a lot to make up for.”  
“Yes, you do,” Lisa said, “I assume this place has a kitchen. Point me in the general direction and I can make us some dinner.”  
“Good, I am starving,” Dean said.  
“Me too,” Ben called up from below.  
Claire and Lisa worked on dinner while Dean showed Ben around the bunker and explained the Men of Letters.  
“So you and Sam are Legacies, does that make me one too?” Ben asked.  
“Yes, it does,” Dean smiled sitting on the edge of the table as he watched his son explore the shelves taking in every book title. Sam has always been better at all this than me. You’re a lot like him, you know.”  
“I just want to help people,” Ben said, “Like you guys help people.”  
“It’s a tough life, Ben. We have seen some stuff that most people can’t even begin to fathom. Sam and I both made a whole lot of mistakes and so will you.”  
“I know.”  
“John, my dad…your grandfather…he was not an easy man to live with, but he was my hero. Your grandmother, Mary too. They did the best they could, but the life Sam and I have lived. You’ll have to be patient with me, I am not exactly sure how to do this, Ben,” Dean said looking down at the floor.  
“We do this together, Dad.”  
Dean smiled and nodded, “Deal.”  
“You know you’re my hero, right,” Ben said.  
“I’m just a man doing a job,” Dean smiled.  
“Yeah and you live in the Bat Cave.”  
“Funny that is exactly what I called it when we first moved in.”  
“Dinner’s almost ready,” Claire said as she walked into the library.  
“I’m gonna go help your mom,” Dean said leaving them alone.  
“Hey,” she said softly.  
“Hey,” Ben grinned.  
“So,” Claire smiled, “Dean Winchester is your father. I guess that explains a few things.”  
“Yes, it does,” Ben said.  
“Did Cas really send you to find me?”  
“Yeah, but he didn’t tell me I would fall madly and hopelessly in love with you,” he grinned then kissed her.  
Claire placed her hand on his face, her eyes shining brightly. “I was so afraid I wouldn’t get the chance to tell you that I love you.”  
“Marry me, Claire Novak.”  
“What?” Claire asked in surprise.  
“Life is unpredictable for normal people, and we are definitely not normal. I want to spend my life with you side by side facing whatever fate throws at us.”  
“What if it’s not just me?” she asked hesitantly.  
“What do you mean?”  
“Ben, I’m—I’m pregnant…like three months.”  
“Really?” Ben asked.  
“I know it complicates things...”  
“I love you. Just say yes already.”  
“Yes,” she laughed and kissed him.  
“There is one thing I want to do before we get married and before the baby comes,” Ben said.  
“What?” Claire asked.  
“I have to talk to my mom and dad about it, but I want to officially change my last name to Winchester.”  
“Claire Winchester huh? That has a nice ring to it,” she smiled.  
“Yes, it does,” Ben kissed her.

Jolted from a deep sleep by an insane dream, Dean sat up. He felt a sense of panic looking over to make sure Lisa was still there sleeping soundly next to him. His heart was racing, he struggled to catch his breath. Sliding his legs over the side of the bed he closed his eyes tightly trying to force the images out of his head and quell the sense of dread creeping through his bones.  
Slipping on his jeans and a shirt he quietly left the room. In the library, he poured himself a glass of Whiskey. Sitting down at the table he immediately downed most of it. The dream had shaken him far more than usual and left him with a sick feeling in his stomach. He stared at the glass in his hand willing it to refill itself.  
“Couldn’t sleep either?” Ben asked refilling his father’s glass before pouring one for himself. He put the bottle down in front of Dean then sat on the edge of the table.  
“Thanks,” Dean said then watched Ben take a sip. “I still can’t believe you’re old enough to drink.”  
“Hate to break it to you, but I was drinking long before I was old enough.”  
“You really are my kid,” Dean replied with a grin raising his glass.  
“Are you okay?”  
“Bad dream,” Dean replied with a forced smile, “Kinda comes with the whole hunter benefit package.”  
“You’re afraid something bad is going to happen?” Ben asked.  
“No, I know something bad is going to happen. I should be able to tell you that everything is going to be fine. I can’t even do that. I was always there for my dad and Sam, now I have you and your mom to protect and I feel like I’m spinning my wheels.”  
“You tried to convince me once that you weren’t worthy of being a part of my life. I didn’t believe it then and I damn well don’t believe it now.”  
“Yeah well, if you knew everything that I did after I left, you’d change your mind on that,” Dean replied downing the rest of his drink then refilling the glass again he leaned back in the chair putting his feet up on the table.  
“Then tell me,” Ben replied.  
Dean looked at his son with pain in his eyes, “I can’t…I can’t tell you because if you knew everything you would never look at me the same way again. You and your mom would run screaming in the other direction. Hell, maybe you should.”  
Ben refilled his own glass taking drink before looking at his father. “For the longest time I was so angry at you for leaving us, but I get it now. You sacrificed so much for the job.”  
“Ben, I made mistakes…did things that I am so not proud of. I hurt a lot of people and burned a lot of bridges. If I could go back…”  
“You would make the very same choices,” Ben responded knowingly.  
Dean looked up at him, “Unfortunately, you’re probably right.”  
“And if it’s about you being a demon, or possessed by Michael the archangel, I already know about all that. I’ve known for a while.”  
“How the hell?” Dean asked.  
“Hunters…I heard all the stories.”  
“Then you know the damage I did.”  
“What I know is that every decision you made was out of love. Regardless of the route taken, you made a difference. You saved people. Hell, you and Sam saved the whole damn world multiple times.”  
“Ben, I used to believe in what we did. After I found out that Chuck was literally using us as his personal pawns on a gameboard, I started to doubt everything. I felt like nothing Sam and I accomplished mattered.”  
“Chuck was God, he toyed with all of us in one way or another. Despite that you never gave up and you beat him and now we all have free will again.”  
“When I think about all the people we lost because of his sick and twisted narratives…his games.” Dean shook his head.  
“Dad, they may be gone, but I am here. Mom, Sam…we are here and until we aren’t we have a chance to grab whatever happiness we can squeeze out of this life and I plan on doing just that.”  
Dean looked at him with a slight grin on his face. “You obviously got your smarts from your mom. What else do you know about me?” Dean asked raising an eyebrow.  
“There’s one thing I am dying to know.”  
“What?” Dean asked taking another drink.  
“Do fairies really have nipples and did you really nuke one?” Ben asked with a huge grin.  
Dean rolled his eyes, “That didn’t come from hunters…remind me to have a little talk with my big mouth brother.”  
“And that pudding thing?”  
“Correction, remind me to punch Sam in the face.”  
“Dad, I need you to understand that no matter what you did in the past or will do in the future, I am damn proud to be your son. You’re a hero in my book.”  
“Yeah well, you should really expand your reading list,” Dean smiled.  
Ben laughed motioning to the walls of shelves. “Believe me I plan on it.”  
Dean nodded slightly then looked up at his son. “Thank you,” he said.  
“For what?”  
“For reminding me that what we do matters.”  
“You’re welcome.”  
“We should go back to bed. It’s nearly dawn.”  
“Okay,” Ben said as he stood up and started toward the door.  
“Hey, Ben,” Dean said.  
“Yeah?”  
“I am damn proud to be your father.”  
“Good night,” he smiled then disappeared around the corner.  
Dean made his way back to his bedroom sitting down on the edge of the bed to pull off his shirt and jeans. He felt Lisa stir behind him.  
“Dean,” she whispered.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”  
“Are you okay?”  
“You can go back to sleep. I’m fine.”  
Dean closed his eyes as he felt her arms slip around him. She pressed her lips to the back of his shoulder.  
“Lisa,” he said huskily.  
“Let me help,” she whispered in his ear.  
“Are you sure?” he asked.  
“Absolutely,” she responded, sliding her hands down his chest.  
Dean caught her wrists and in one fluid motion drew her around his body lowering her onto his lap. His fingertips brushed lightly down her sides as he kissed her. He growled low in his throat as her fingers wrapped around him and he lost himself in sheer ecstasy of her touch. Tilting her head back he kissed her delicate throat before capturing her mouth again.  
“Dean, I need you now…” she whispered against his lips.  
“Go slow,” he said letting out a breath, his eyes closing as her body enveloped him fully. His hands caressed her back, his heart racing.  
“God I missed you,” Lisa whispered digging her fingertips into his upper arms as she arched her back moving slowly against him.  
“Holy hell,” Dean whispered his hands gripping her hips as she wrapped her legs tightly around his body, drawing him deeper inside her.  
They held each other as intense waves of pleasure coursed through them. Neither spoke, their hearts pounding, her breasts pressing against his bare chest.  
“I feel like I have been under water drowning and just burst through to the surface to find that I can finally breathe.”  
“I’m never leaving you again,” he kissed her with an urgency he had never felt before, “I promise you…I am going to spend the rest of my life making sure you never feel that way again.”  
“When I woke up and you were gone, I realized I don’t want to waste a single second that I have with you, Dean Winchester. Not one single second.”  
“I’m good with that,” Dean said huskily as he looked into her eyes touching her cheek. “I love you, Lisa.”  
“I love you too.”

Sam made his way to the kitchen, laptop in hand, to make coffee. He was surprised to find Dean and Lisa making out like teenagers by the stove. He smiled clearing his throat to alert them to his presence.  
“Get a room, you two,” he smirked as he poured a cup of hot coffee and took a seat at the table with his laptop.  
Lisa blushed, “Good morning, Sam.”  
“Good morning, little brother,” Dean gave him an awkward grin then sat down across the table from him.  
“You’re in a good mood this morning.” Sam couldn’t help noticing the light in his brother’s eyes and it made him smile.  
Lisa put a plate in front of Dean. “Sam, do you want some breakfast?”  
“I’m good, thanks.”  
“Sammy doesn’t eat bacon anymore.”  
“No bacon?” Lisa asked, “That’s just so wrong.”  
“What you workin’ on?” Dean asked with his mouth full of bacon. He turned the laptop to face him, “A case?  
“Let someone else deal with it.”  
“Looks like our thing,” Dean said as he skimmed through the article about two bodies found burned beyond recognition in the middle of a field where nothing around them was touched. “Barbecue gone bad?”  
“Dean, you have far more important things to focus on right now. The last thing you need to do is go off on a hunt.”  
“True,” Dean said turning the laptop back toward Sam.  
“If you guys need to go you go,” Lisa said.  
“No, Sam’s right, someone else can deal with it.”  
“Dean Winchester, if there is one thing I have learned after all this it is that hunting is in your blood…in Ben’s blood. I know the risks. I know what I am signing up for.”  
“Lisa, I…”  
Lisa slid her arms around his neck and kissed him. “When people need saving there is nobody better at saving them than you guys.”  
“She’s not wrong,” Dean said to Sam.  
“Okay then, it is just a little over two hours away…near Broken Bow, Nebraska,” Sam shrugged.  
“Let’s go.”  
“Mind if I tag along?” Ben asked stealing the last piece of bacon from Dean’s plate.  
“What about Claire?” Dean asked with a glance from his plate to his son.  
“Claire is asleep. She spent most of the morning in the bathroom.”  
“I’ll take care of her, you guys go kill something,” Lisa smiled.  
Dean stood up and took her in his arms. “Thank you,” he whispered.  
“Just come back in one piece, all of you.”  
“Yes, Mom,” Ben said kissing her cheek.  
“Are you absolutely sure you’re okay with this?” Dean asked her.  
“Dean, go…I’ll be here when you get back.”  
“You really do love me,” he smiled.  
“Guilty…” she whispered kissing him.  
“Let’s get this show on the road,” Dean grinned placing a hand on Ben’s shoulder.  
Lisa watched them climb the stairs, uttering a silent prayer that they would come back safe and sound. As difficult as it was, she had to accept that they would keep hunting. She visibly flinched when the heavy metal door closed. If she tried to stop them, she risked pushing her son away again and losing Dean. Like it or not this was her life now.  
“Where are they going?” Claire asked as she walked up behind Lisa.  
“Broken Bow, Nebraska...they found a case.”  
“You seem pretty calm about it.”  
“Outside yes, inside not so much.”  
“Wish I could have gone with them, but my insides had other ideas,” Claire laughed.  
Lisa smiled, “Claire, I know things were pretty awkward between you and I at first, but I want you to know that I am so happy Ben found you.”  
“Really?” Claire asked.  
“Yes,” Lisa replied.  
“To be honest, sometimes I wonder if I am good enough for him. The life I have lived, things I’ve done. I am a bit damaged.”  
Lisa laughed, “Honey, you’re talking to the woman who fell in love with Dean Winchester.”  
“Touché” Claire nodded, “Dean may be the posterchild for damaged, but he is a good man. He means a lot to me. Both of them do…they saved my life in more ways than one.”  
“They saved you too?”  
“Yeah, I kinda got into some trouble. Juvenile detention, searching for my missing mom, oh and I became a werewolf.”  
Lisa stared at her for a moment then shook her head. “You were a werewolf?”  
“Not anymore…obviously.”  
“Obviously,” Lisa laughed, “Come on in the kitchen and I will fix you something to eat.”  
“No human hearts please,” Claire grinned.  
“God, I miss the days when I didn’t know these things existed,” Lisa rolled her eyes putting her arm around Claire.

“Dean,” Sam shouted from a ditch on the far side of the field. “Over here, I think I found something.”  
“This is pretty far from where the other bodies were found,” Dean said as he half walked half slid down the embankment into the dry ditch. Ben approached from the other side.  
“What is it?” Ben asked.  
Sam crouched down peering into a corrugated metal pipe that looked to be about twenty-five feet long and a little under three feet in diameter. His flashlight beam was on an object near the middle of the pipe. “There’s something in there, it looks like clothing.”  
Dean got down on one knee shining his own flashlight into the darkness. “I am so not going in there.”  
“I got this,” Ben said as he took off his pack and handed his shotgun to his dad. He put the end of his flashlight in his mouth crawling into the pipe without hesitation.  
“There are advantages to having the kid along,” Dean grinned.  
“I could get used to this,” Sam said.  
Ben moved along the pipe trying to ignore the stench. He knew the smell of death all too well, so it was no surprise when he found it was a body. A young girl.  
"Oh God,” he said.  
“Ben?” Dean called out to him.  
“It’s a girl…probably twelve or thirteen. It’s bad,” Ben shouted turning away for a moment to regain control of his gag reflex.  
“I’m coming in,” Dean said then grabbed a body bag out of his pack. He crawled in after Ben. Dean scanned the pipe with his flashlight. He spotted a cell phone lying in the mud. Picking it up he put it in his jacket pocket.  
Ben somehow managed to maneuver around to the other side of the girl’s body. “Dad, she’s just a kid.”  
“Ben, get out of here, I will take care of her.”  
“Just give me the bag,” he replied, “It’s part of the job right?”  
“Ben…”  
“Let’s just get her out of here.”  
They carefully got her body into the bag then dragged her out of the pipe, emerging covered in a putrid greenish brown muck.  
“You two smell lovely,” Sam said.  
“Shut up,” Dean said. He took the phone out of his pocket wiping the screen on his shirt. It was still on and opened to the camera app. He pressed the play button, and a video began to play. “Dammit,” he swore under his breath, “Well, we can rule out ghoul.”  
Sam took the phone from him. The video showed several teenage boys taunting and torturing the victim. The screen went black, but the audio continued with the girl’s anguished cries as they brutalized her.  
“What are they?” Ben asked.  
“Human,” Dean said, “They killed her in broad daylight, then put her body in the pipe where animals got to her,” Dean let out a breath as he sat down on the side of the ditch bank. “I said it before, I’ll say it again…Demons I get, people are crazy.”  
Sam zipped up the bag hesitating a moment before rising to his feet and handing the phone back to his brother.  
Dean reached into his pack for a bottle of water. Opening it, he took a long drink then watched the video again. “Sam, what if all the evil nasty crap we have been killing all our lives was just a part of Chuck’s twisted ass narrative and now with him gone we are just left with human monsters?” Dean asked.  
“Good question.”  
“Do you think they were responsible for the burned bodies too?” Ben asked.  
“Most likely,” Sam said as he took out his own phone, “Time to turn this one over to the police.”  
It was after dark by the time the coroner left. The sheriff and his deputy finally approached shaking each of their hands. “Thank you, guys for waiting. I am Sheriff Josh Kendrick this is Deputy Heather Daniels.”  
“I’m Dean Winchester, this is my brother Sam and my son Ben.”  
“Ah the Winchesters, I have heard of you guys. Sheriff Jody Mills has mentioned you a few times. She said you are good people,” the sheriff smiled.  
“Jody is like family to us,” Sam said. “Were you able to identify the girl?”  
“Yes, her name is Zoe James. She just turned fourteen a few weeks ago. Her parents are devastated, she was their only child,” Sheriff Kendrick said. “I recognize the teens in the video. They are all known troublemakers, with prior arrests for everything from vandalism to arson, breaking and entering to assault and battery. They grabbed her from the school bus stop yesterday morning.”  
“I hope you find the bastards,” Ben said.  
“I have people rounding them up as we speak.”  
“Good,” Sam said.  
“We really appreciate your help, guys. Thank you for finding her,” Deputy Daniels said.  
“You’re welcome,” Dean replied, “If you’re done with us, we have a long drive back home.”  
“Safe travels we will call if we need anything else from you,” Sheriff Kendrick said.  
“Take care,” Sam said, “Oh and you might want to question them about those other bodies. I have a feeling they were behind that as well.”  
“Most likely,” Deputy Daniels said.  
“Let’s hit the road,” Dean said. He got into the car and started the engine. Ben was quiet in the backseat. “You okay, Ben?”  
“Just thinking about what those monsters did to that poor girl…”  
“Ben,” Sam said as he slid into the passenger seat, “This life will eat you up inside if you let it. You have to find a way to compartmentalize the bad, the good and everything in between.”  
“You mean like we do so well?” Dean asked ironically. He gunned the engine spinning the tires in the dirt as he drove up onto the highway and pointed Baby toward home.  
“Exactly,” Sam responded with a sideways grin.  
“I want to save people like Zoe. She didn’t deserve to die like that.”  
“No she didn’t,” Sam replied.  
“If this life is what you truly want, I will teach you all I know, Ben,” Dean said. “Just make sure you are prepared for all the pain and sacrifice. It won’t be easy. Especially with a family.”  
“I know,” Ben said, “I just hope one day I will be even half as good as you two are.”  
Dean glanced at Ben in the rearview mirror then looked at Sam and smiled. Life was good. He had his son and his brother by his side, a beautiful woman waiting for him at home and he was going to be a grandpa. Flipping on the radio, he tapped the steering wheel along with the beat of music and pressed down harder on the accelerator.  
“You look happy,” Sam said.  
“I am, brother. I really am.”  
“Good…you deserve it, man.”  
“Damn right I do,” Dean said.  
“Hey Dean, remember when you talked about retiring if you knew the world was safe?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Maybe it is time, you have a real family now. You have more than earned the chance at a normal life.”  
“I don’t know,” Dean said, “I’m not sure I can just hang it up.”  
“I get it, but you have a second chance with Lisa. I don’t want to see you make the same mistakes all over again.”  
“I’m trying not to,” Dean replied.  
As they rounded a curve, Dean caught a glimpse of a figure as it stepped out into the road. “Son of a bitch!” he yelled slamming on the brakes.  
The young man looked completely unconcerned that he was just inches shy of becoming roadkill. With hair down to his shoulder blades, a wild shirt and knee length shorts he definitely didn’t belong in middle of nowhere Nebraska.  
“What the hell?” Sam said rolling his window down as the man walked over to the passenger side and leaned down. “Sam…Dean, long time no see,” he said with a heavy Australian accent.  
“Who the hell are you?” Dean asked.  
“Jesse…Turner, the kid whose life you ripped apart awhile back,” he said.  
“Jesse,” Dean said.  
“We had no idea what happened to you. You just vanished,” Sam said.  
“Well, you told me I had to go so I went. Figured the farther away I got, the safer my parents would be. So I popped over to Australia.”  
“What brings you back now?” Dean asked.  
“Looking for you guys. I need your help.”  
“Hop in,” Dean said motioning to the back seat. Ben slid over and Jesse got in the car.  
“How did you find us?” Sam asked.  
“Special demon powers remember,” Jesse grinned.  
“You’re a demon?” Ben asked.  
“Half demon…just your average everyday anti-Christ.”  
“I’m Ben Braeden,” Ben smiled, “Half Winchester.”  
“My son,” Dean said proudly.  
“Cool,” Jesse said.  
“So what do you need our help with?” Sam asked.  
“About a week ago, someone or something killed my parents, and my birth mom,” Jesse said, “I need you to help me find out who or what did it so I can kill them.”  
“Jesse, I’m so sorry,” Dean said shaking his head.  
“Me too,” Sam said.  
Jesse gave a nod, “That night…I felt their pain, heard their cries. I returned to find what was left of them. The cops showed up arrested me. I’m sure you can guess what happened next.”  
“They found nothing but an empty cell the next morning,” Sam responded knowingly.  
“So yeah, here I am,” Jesse said, “The prodigal son returns.”  
“Okay,” Dean said as he pressed down on the accelerator, “You’re coming home with us and we’ll help you. We owe you that much.”  
“Thank you,” Jesse said.  
“For what it’s worth I’m sorry we upended your life,” Sam said, “If there had been any other way…”  
“I was angry for the longest time, but I came to realize that you were right.”  
“So what are you like twenty-one now?” Dean asked.  
“Just turned twenty-two.”  
“All this time you have been on your own?” Sam asked.  
“I was taken in by a man named Lars…he gave me a home and taught me to surf. He died last year of a stroke.”  
“You’ve lost so much,” Sam said.  
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” Jesse responded flatly.  
“Yeah that is load of crap,” Dean said.  
They arrived at the bunker well after 1am, Lisa was waiting up for them wrapped in a robe reading a book in the library. The look of sheer relief in her eyes when they came down the stairs was obvious.  
“Hey, Lisa,” Dean grinned, “Don’t get too close, I’m covered in ick.”  
“How did it go?” she asked.  
“Turns out it was human monsters this time,” Dean said.  
“Not sure if that is better or worse,” she replied.  
Jesse and Ben came down the steps ahead of Sam. “Hey Mom, this is Jesse Turner.”  
“Nice to meet you Jesse, I’m Lisa.”  
“Mom, where’s Claire?” Ben asked.  
“She couldn’t keep her eyes open, so I sent her to bed.”  
“I’m going to clean up then join her. I am beat,” he said kissing her cheek.  
“Jesse, make yourself at home,” Sam said tossing his bag on the table.  
“This place is so James Bond,” Jesse said, “Pretty sweet.”  
“Let’s see what we can dig up online about the murders,” Sam said, opening his laptop.  
“Actually, do you guys have a place for me to crash? I haven’t slept in like two days,” Jesse asked.  
“Okay,” Sam nodded, “Get some rest we will talk in the morning.”  
“Thank you guys for agreeing to help me.”  
“Like I said, we owe you,” Dean replied.  
“Come on, Jesse, I’ll show you to the guest room,” Ben said.  
Sam sat down to start research. Dean looked at him then Lisa then back to his brother, “Uh, Sammy…”  
“Go on, I got this.”  
“Are you sure? I hate to…just…”  
“Dean, you stink to high heaven. Go take a shower and whatever.”  
“Night, Sam,” Dean said.  
“Good night, Sam,” Lisa laughed.  
“Night,” Sam smiled shaking his head.  
As they rounded the corner, Dean kissed Lisa. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you and me…last night,” he grinned, “Repeat performance?”  
“Not until you shower, you smell like a sewer,” Lisa laughed wrinkling her nose.  
“You’re not wrong.”  
“Go shower.”  
“You could join me.”  
“Go,” she laughed shoving him playfully.  
Dean went straight to the shower room passing Ben in the corridor. “Hope you left me some hot water.”  
“Maybe,” he grinned, “Thank you for taking me with you on the hunt.”  
“You’re welcome. Good night, son.”  
Dean took off his jacket, boots, and socks. “Gross,” he muttered as he pulled off his flannel shirt and t-shirt before reaching in to turn on the water.  
“Thought maybe you could use a clean pair of jeans,” Lisa said hanging them on the hook by the door which she closed and locked.  
“Thank you.”  
“I could also give you a hand,” she said biting her bottom lip as she reached for his belt buckle. “If you want.”  
“Oh I want,” Dean said huskily as he pushed her robe off her shoulders. It pooled on the floor at her feet leaving her in only a thin white nightgown.  
“Maybe I could wash your back…or something,” she smiled as her fingertips skimmed light as a feather over his chest and stomach. She unfastened his jeans kissing him as he kicked them off.  
“You’re seriously killing me,” he growled looking up at the ceiling.  
“Oh I am just getting started,” she smiled seductively.  
“Carry on,” he grinned, “Carry on.”  
Lisa took both his hands drawing him with her beneath the water. Her nightgown clinging to her every curve.  
“God, you are beautiful,” Dean whispered as stared at her. Lacing his fingers through hers he slowly raised her arms above her head pinning her against the cool tile wall as his mouth captured hers in a kiss that had both of their hearts racing.  
“I’m supposed to be torturing you, not the other way around,” she said breathlessly as he kissed her throat.  
“Believe me you are,” he smiled.  
“My turn,” she smiled grabbing the body wash and proceeded to cover every inch of him from head to toe. She then pushed him back under the water to rinse off. Kissing his chest and stomach her teeth gently grazing his flesh looking up at him with her dark smoldering eyes. Her hand wrapped around him causing a low growl to escape his throat.  
“Come here,” he said drawing her up his body kissing her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
“I’m here,” she said her hands framing his face as she looked deep into his eyes. They reminded her of molten gemstones.  
“I need you,” Dean whispered then pulling her wet nightgown up to her waist he lifted her off her feet trapping her between his heat and the cool wall. Wrapping her fingers around a bar above her head, Lisa held on as Dean moved between her thighs his hips thrusting into her.  
“Dean…don’t stop,” she gasped as her whole body trembled violently with release. Unable to keep her grip on the bar. She let go clinging tightly to him. Her head fell back as she felt him drive deep inside her.  
“Lisa, I love you,” he groaned his eyes closing tightly as his body shuddered against hers.  
“Never let me go,” Lisa said softly her eyes filling with tears, her emotions suddenly raw. “Please…” she pleaded.  
“Did I hurt you?” he asked.  
“No, not at all,” she smiled through her tears.  
Dean kissed her with such tenderness.  
“I’m scared,” she cried wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.  
“So am I,” he said smoothing her wet hair back from her face his thumbs gently tracing her cheekbones. “Lisa I meant what I said, I love you,” he whispered his own eyes brimming with tears.  
“Can we just go to bed,” she asked.  
Dean turned off the shower then quickly put on the clean pair of jeans. He removed her wet nightgown, wrapping the robe around her trembling body then carried her to their bedroom.  
“Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?” Dean asked as he lowered her onto the bed then laid down next to her.  
“You didn’t,” she whispered melting into his embrace.  
“What’s wrong, Lisa?”  
“I can’t really explain it…just hold me please.”  
Dean didn’t move, he just held her, listening to the slow rise and fall of her breathing as she slept in his arms. He kissed her forehead his hand gently stroking her hair.

Dean managed to drag himself out of bed and stumble to the kitchen for coffee. He hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours. The little sleep he did get was plagued by more weird dreams.  
Claire and Ben were sitting at the kitchen table eating cereal.  
“Morning guys,” Dean said then yawned.  
“You look like hell,” Ben said with a grin.  
“Thanks.”  
“Be nice to your dad, it’s not his fault he’s old,” Claire said with a smirk.  
“Did anyone ever teach you two to respect your elders?” Dean grumbled.  
“A little hung over?” Ben asked.  
“No, just very little sleep.”  
“More bad dreams?”  
“Yeah,” Dean said as he sat down next to Ben with his mug of coffee.  
“Sorry, Dean. I didn’t know,” Claire said.  
“Like I told Ben…nightmares…just part of the job. Where’s Sam?” Dean asked.  
“He and Jesse are in the library,” Ben replied.  
“I guess I should go give them a hand with the investigation. Your mom is still asleep so let her rest,” Dean said getting up taking his coffee with him.  
After he walked out, Claire took her bowl to the sink. “Do you think they are going to be okay? I know I give Dean crap all the time, but I do care about him…a lot. He has been through so much.”  
“I hope so. I think mom is struggling with all of it.”  
“They obviously still have deep feelings for each other,” she said as she sat back down at the table.  
“It’s just going to take time.”  
“Maybe I can help.”  
“You can try, my mom is strong…too strong for her own good sometimes.”  
“Well, a little girl talk has been known to work wonders.”  
“Well, I would appreciate any help you can offer,” Ben said then kissed her.  
“I am going to get dressed and talk to her when she wakes up.”  
“Okay, I have some research to do anyway.”  
“Hey,” Dean said flopping down in a chair.  
“You look like hell,” Sam said.  
“So I hear,” he grinned rolling his eyes, “Got anything on Jesse’s case yet?”  
“There’s not much to go on, at least online. We’re gonna have to drive to Alliance and check things out it could be tricky with the ongoing manhunt for Jesse,” Sam said.  
“You’re going to need a change of appearance,” Dean said to Jesse.  
“That shouldn’t be too difficult. I can cut my hair shorter and try to ditch the accent.”  
“Sounds like a plan.”  
“Where was your birth mom living?”  
“She moved to Alliance to be close in case I returned home. She lived in a trailer park on the outskirts of town.”  
“Okay, looks like we are hitting the road to Nebraska…again,” Dean said downing the rest of his coffee.  
“Dean, why don’t you stay here,” Sam said, “Jesse, Ben and I can handle it.”  
“I’m fine, just give me half an hour.”  
“Okay, but I’m driving,” Sam replied.  
“Deal…maybe I can get some sleep on the way.”  
“Well, I guess I’ll need some scissors and a change of clothes,” Jesse said.  
“I’m sure we can find you something to wear. We still have some of Jack’s clothes in his room they should fit you.”  
“Great, first I am going to shower.”  
Packing up his laptop, Sam frowned. There was definitely something off with Dean. 

An hour later they were on the road to Nebraska. Sam behind the wheel with Jesse riding shotgun and Dean sprawled out across the back seat. Ben had decided to stay behind with Claire and his mom.  
“Sam, did you bring any Aspirin?” Dean asked groggily.  
“No, but I will stop at the next town and pick up some. Are you okay?”  
“Just dandy. My head just feels like I went twenty rounds with a sledgehammer.”  
Sam looked at his brother in the rearview mirror. “Dean…”  
“I’m fine, just drive,” Dean said closing his eyes to try to sleep.  
Jesse glanced back over his shoulder, “I haven’t seen you guys since I was a kid, and even I can tell he’s not okay.”  
“I know,” Sam said.  
“I’m literally right here,” Dean snapped, “I can hear you.”  
Sam pulled off the road at a truck stop. “I’ll be right back,” he said getting out of the Impala. He hesitated before shutting the door. “Do you want anything, Jesse?”  
“No, I’m good, thanks.”  
“You know, the shorter hair suits you better,” Dean sat upright, pressing his fingers to his temples.  
“It is a lot less work,” Jesse laughed.  
“I’ve been telling Sam that for years.”  
“Dean, can I ask you a personal question?”  
“Sure, I guess.”  
“Was it easier when you were a demon?”  
“What the hell? How do you know about that?” Dean asked.  
“I hear things…voices, I guess it’s like a psychic connection to anything connected to demons, angels. Sometimes I wonder if it would be easier to just give in to the darkness and let go of everything in my life that I care about. Just forget the pain.”  
Dean stared at him, the anger in his tone faded. “Was it easier…yeah, but I’d rather be human and feel pain that be that thing again.”  
“Sam pulled you back from that edge,” Jesse said.  
“Yeah he did…”  
“You’re lucky to have people to anchor you to your humanity. I don’t have that…not anymore.”  
“Jesse, we will find out what happened to your parents. I promise.”  
“It won’t bring them back.”  
Dean shook his head, “No, it won’t, but you have to keep fighting. Find something to hold on to, something that will keep you human. The alternative is not an option.”  
Jesse looked back at Dean, “I guess you’re right. I’m just so tired of being alone.”  
“For whatever it’s worth, you have us.”  
“I appreciate that…thank you.”  
“You’re welcome.”  
Sam returned, getting in the car. He tossed Dean a huge bottle of aspirin and a bottle of water.  
“Bless you, brother,” Dean grinned quickly downing several.  
Sam started the car and drove back onto the highway. They hadn’t gone fifteen miles before he heard the sound of his brother snoring. Jesse was quiet just watching the passing scenery.  
“You know, Jesse…call it the whole anti-Christ thing or whatever…I am probably one of the few people who can actually understand what you’re going through. I’ve been where you are in a way.”  
Jesse looked at him. “I know, Sam. You and Dean are the only people I knew I could trust with this.”  
“I am glad you came to us for help.”  
“You have changed a lot since the last time we saw each other,” Jesse said.  
Sam nodded, “It hasn’t been an easy road.”  
“Well, for what it’s worth, you and Dean have made a difference in the world which is more than I can say for me.”  
“You’re a good man, Jesse.”  
“I guess…”  
By the time they rolled into Alliance, it was too late to work the job, so Sam pulled into the parking lot of a small motel made up of individual cabins.  
“I’ll get us a place for the night, we’ll start fresh in the morning.” Sam said glancing into the backseat to check on Dean who was still out.  
“Here’s some cash,” Jesse said handing him a wad of bills.  
“I got it, thanks.”  
“Take it, Sam.”  
“Okay,” he smiled accepting the money, “Be back in a few.”  
Jesse got out of the car leaning on the fender looking around at the town where he had grown up. It hadn’t changed much. Unlike him.  
Sam returned a few minutes later with keys for the largest cabin. Handing one to Jesse. “It’s the cabin on the far end. I’ll move the car closer and get Dean.”  
“Do you mind if I take a walk first?” Jesse asked.  
“No, go ahead, but…”  
“I know keep my head down.”  
“Would you mind grabbing some food for us on your way back,” Sam asked. “I think I should stay with my brother.”  
“I can do that,” Jesse said then walked across the parking lot toward the highway.  
After backing the car up to the cabin, Sam unlocked the door. There were three queen size beds and a sofa. He went back out to get Dean. Opening the rear door of the Impala. “Dean, wake up,” he said tapping his leg.  
“Go away,” Dean grumbled in his sleep.  
“Come on, man, I got us a room. You can sleep in a bed.”  
“Bed? Food?” Dean said rubbing his eyes as he stumbled out of the car. He hadn’t taken two steps before his knees buckled and he fell against the fender.  
“Dean, what the hell?” Sam grabbed hold of him helping him into the cabin.  
“I’m good…I’m good,” Dean said, his voice sounded strange…like he was in a cave or a tunnel.  
“You’re not good.”  
“I said, I’m fine,” Dean muttered before pushing Sam away and falling onto the bed face down wrapping his arms around the pillow.  
“Dean!”  
“Leave me alone.”  
Sam sat down on the end of the bed pulling Dean’s boots off. He had no idea what was going on with him.  
Jesse came back an hour later with food, “Sam, I got pizza, burgers and beer. How’s he doing?”  
“He is doing just fine,” Dean said rolling over, “Did I hear the magic words? Burgers and beer?”  
Sam let out a relieved sigh and smiled raising an eyebrow. He was still worried, but as long as his brother’s appetite was still kicking he figured that he was okay.  
Dean threw his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up as Jesse handed him a bag and a bottle of beer. “Thanks,” he smiled taking a drink before digging out a burger and shoving a handful of fries into his mouth.  
“I found something,” Jesse said handing Sam a newspaper and a beer.  
Sam sat down at the table opening the beer then unfolded the paper. “The front page showed photos of Jesse’s parents and three other people all dead within two weeks.  
“What the hell is going on here?” Sam asked, “Are these other people connected to you in any way?”  
“One of them was my first-grade teacher, the other two I knew from around town, but no real connection that I know of. They could have been friends of my parents.”  
“It says here they were all killed the same way. Blunt force trauma then their bodies were mutilated.”  
“Yeah, I read,” Jesse said softly.  
“I’m sorry, man…I didn’t mean to…”  
“I know. It’s fine.”  
Dean finished his burger and fries then got up from the bed. He staggered a little at first as he walked to the bathroom. Sam watched him closely until he shut the door behind him.  
Flipping on the light, Dean looked at his reflection in the chipped mirror. “You do look like hell,” he said then turned on the faucet splashing his face with cold water. He couldn’t figure out why he felt so drained. His head was still pounding. It almost felt like when Michael was trapped in his skull.  
Washing his face again he took a deep breath. “Pull it together, Dean, you’ve got a job to do.”  
Sam kept an eye on the bathroom door waiting for his brother to reappear. Seconds later there was a loud thud. He jumped up running for the bathroom. He pushed the door open to find dean unconscious half in and half out of the bathtub his head bleeding.  
“Dean!”  
Jesse came up behind him and helped get Dean back to the bed.  
“What the hell?” Sam said as he pulled out his phone to call 911.  
“Sam,” Jesse said, “Wait.”  
Sam looked at him, fear in his eyes, “He needs help.”  
Jesse leaned over Dean touching his forehead, “He needs help, but there’s nothing normal medicine can do.”  
“What are you saying?”  
“I can feel something inside him. It’s not human.”  
“What the hell?”  
“Was there something recently that happened to him?”  
“Where do I start?” Sam said sitting down on the chair running his hands through his hair. “He was possessed by Michael the archangel, beaten nearly to death by God, attacked by some sort of spirit in a house outside Sioux Falls.”  
“What did it look like?”  
“Black with like burning orange holes for eyes, it gave off a bizarre humming noise that turned into an ear-piercing screech.” Sam paused for a moment as he remembered something. “He said it was in his head…I thought he was just reacting to the sound it made, but maybe he meant it literally.”  
“Psychic vampire, a demonic parasite hybrid. Straight out of the pits of Hell. It literally sucks the life force from its victim.”  
“What can we do?”  
Jesse sat down on the edge of the bed. “I can use my powers to try and detach it.”  
“Do it,” Sam said with a nod.  
Jesse looked at him, “This isn’t going to be easy.”  
“Whatever it takes, we have to save him.”  
“I will need some things.”  
“Just tell me what you need, and I will get it.”  
“The stuff I need you will have back at the bunker. I would teleport, but I need to stay with Dean. This thing is draining him fast, I need to try and slow it down.”  
“I’ll call Ben,” Sam said.  
Ben answered his phone on the second ring. He had a bad feeling before he even heard Sam’s voice. “What’s wrong?”  
“Ben, I need you to get some things together and get to Alliance as fast as you can. It’s your Dad…Ben, I think he is dying.”  
“Give me the list,” Ben said.

Sam was sitting outside on the trunk of the Impala when the black Mustang tore into the parking lot. Ben jumped out immediately going to the trunk. Lisa got out of the car heading straight for Sam.  
“Where is he?”  
“He’s inside,” he said leading her to the door.  
“Dean,” Lisa said softly, her eyes filling with tears as she moved toward the bed sitting down on the edge. Her hand brushed his face. “What’s wrong with him?”  
“He was earwigged by a nasty demonic parasite,” Jesse said.  
“That thing in the house? It did this to him?” Ben asked Sam in shock as he put the box on the table. “Here’s everything you asked for, Jesse. Can you save him?” Ben asked.  
“I think so, but I am going to need you’re help, all of you.”  
“What can we do?” Lisa asked.  
Jesse looked at her, “Lisa, when this starts I need you do everything you can to keep him anchored in reality. If he loses that connection it will take him even faster. Ben, I need you and Sam to hold him down it’s going to get violent.”  
Sam and Ben both nodded taking off their jackets as Jesse put together the ingredients he needed. Sam helped him. When they were finished, Jesse lit the mixture on fire letting it burn out. He poured in some holy water stirring until it turned to a blood red liquid.  
“Okay I’m ready,” Jesse said. “Ben…Sam, keep all your weight on him. This thing is going to fight back.” He lifted Dean’s head pouring the liquid down his throat while reciting a few words of Latin. Dean choked and let out a guttural growl as his body jerked violently. “Hold him down!” Jesse said as he put a strip of leather between Dean’s teeth.  
Lisa fought back her terror holding tightly to Dean’s hand. “Dean, it’s okay I’m here…feel my hand. I’m with you,” she said wiping the sweat from his face with a cool wet towel. “Dean…don’t you leave me now. Not now. After everything. Fight Dean, please.”  
Dean settled down for a few seconds before it started again. His body arched up off the bed. His eyes shot open. Horrified by the sheer terror in their depths, Lisa cried out touching his face. “Dean…look at me…see me, I’m here.”  
Jesse put his hand on Dean’s forehead. His own eyes rolling back in his head as he began to attack the parasite with everything he had. He slipped into a trance like state focusing all his energy. Blood dripped from his nose and his eyes turned black.  
Even with Sam’s full weight on his brother it was all he could do to keep him down on the bed. Ben looked at him with fear in his eyes.  
“I won’t let you take him,” Lisa yelled then moving onto the bed she pressed her body to his, holding on to him with every ounce of strength she had. “Dean Winchester, dammit you fight! Fight you son of a bitch. Don’t you dare let this thing win.”  
Jesse came out of his trance abruptly, sinking to the floor, completely wiped out. Blood gushing from his nose. Sam moved to help him up. “No, Sam…it’s not done, hold him down.”  
Sam reached for his brother’s shoulders pressing down as Dean went into violent convulsions that shook the whole bed causing artwork to fall off the walls. Ben threw his body across his legs.  
After what seemed like an eternity, Dean suddenly went still. His eyes were open but expressionless. “Dean? Dean!” Lisa screamed.  
“He’s not breathing,” Sam said, feeling for a pulse.  
“Dad, no!” Ben yelled.  
Lisa quickly shifted her position straddling him. She started pounding on his chest trying to get him to take a breath. “You’re not leaving me…not like this,” she hit him again and again. Finally, his head jerked backward, and he sucked in air his eyes opening wider.  
“Dean?” she said tears streaming down her face.  
Blinking slowly as his gaze scanned the room before landing on her. “Lisa? Where’s Ben?”  
“I’m right here,” Ben said reaching his side.  
“What the hell happened?”  
Sam helped Jesse into a chair giving him a wet towel to clean away the blood. “Are you okay?”  
Jesse nodded, “Sorry it’s going to take me a minute…”  
“You did it, thank you,” Sam said.  
Lisa moved off of Dean and Ben helped him to sit up.  
“Jesse? What did you do?” Dean asked.  
“No big deal, I just used my special demon powers to free you from a life force sucking parasite,” Jesse shrugged.  
“Thank you,” Dean said though he had a sinking feeling in his stomach similar to what he felt after his father died to save him. “What did you do and what did it cost you?”  
“It doesn’t matter,” Jesse said as he stood up, “You have people who need you around.”  
“Jesse…”  
“Let it go, Dean,” he said then opened the door and walked outside to get some air.  
Dean got up off the bed. He grabbed hold of the door frame to steady himself as he followed him. “Jesse,” he said, “Talk to me, man. Tell me the truth.”  
“All that matters is you’re okay now.”  
“I can’t because I think that by saving me you gave up something.”  
Jesse looked down at the ground before meeting his gaze, “Remember what I asked you? About giving in to the darkness inside me and letting go?”  
“Yes,” Dean replied.  
“I gave in to it.”  
“What the hell, Jesse?”  
“I just fed it my humanity in exchange for yours.”  
“Jesse, why would you do that?”  
“Because…I am beyond saving…you aren’t. You are needed in this world. I am nothing more than a stain on its surface.”  
“Jesse, why didn’t you tell me what doing that would cost you?” Sam asked in frustration.  
“Because then you would have had to make a choice. I made it for you.”  
“What’s going to happen to you now?” Dean asked.  
“I’ll live…I just shifted the balance, so I am a little less human and a lot more demon than I was before.”  
“Jesse,” Dean said, “If you think I am going to let you go down that road...”  
“Dean, I don’t matter in the broad scheme of things. You and Sam…you saved the damn world. I kept tabs on you guys all these years and if there is one thing I have learned it’s that as long as the Winchesters are alive, there is always hope.”  
“We have a way to save you,” Sam said, “It worked for Dean when he was a demon, it could work for you too.”  
“Dean wasn’t born into it like I was. It’s in my DNA.”  
“Just let us help you,” Sam pleaded.  
“Actually, you already did.”  
“How?” Dean asked as he leaned against the Impala.  
“The more demon I became the more I could sense her. So you see, by helping you I now know who killed my parents.”  
“Who?” Sam asked.  
“I have a sister…her name is Kyra. Born of the same demon only different mothers. She killed them as well as her own birth mother all because she wants me. So I will give her what she wants and when I get close I will kill her. I am the only one who can stop her.”  
Dean looked down at the ground then at Jesse. “At least let us give you something that will help you.”  
“What?”  
“Sam,” Dean said motioning toward the trunk.  
Sam nodded in understanding. He opened it pulling out a wooden box opening it. “It’s a demon killing blade.”  
“Seriously,” Jesse said, “I can’t take this.”  
“You saved my brother you take the knife. Stop your sister before she kills anyone else.”  
“I will,” he said, “Thank you.”  
“Be safe,” Dean said embracing Jesse, “When it’s done you come back to the bunker and we will figure out a way to help you get your humanity back.”  
Jesse looked over at Ben and Lisa as he stepped back from Dean. “Just take care of yourselves…all of you. Goodbye,” he smiled then vanished.  
Sam went back inside the cabin.  
Lisa walked into Dean’s embrace kissing him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you,” she whispered.  
“I know,” he grinned, “Thank you.”  
“For what?”  
“I felt your touch…heard you calling out to me through all of it. Every time I thought that thing had me you pulled me back.”  
“Mom…Dad…what Jesse said about Winchesters…”  
“Yeah,” Dean said.  
“I want to make it official. Before Claire and I get married and the baby comes, I want to change my last name to Winchester.”  
Dean smiled placing his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “How about if we make it official…official?” he asked.  
“What?” Lisa asked.  
Dean turned to her, “Lisa Braeden, would you do me the honor of becoming a Winchester?” he asked.  
Lisa was stunned searching his eyes to see if he was serious. “Dean…”  
“Well?” he asked.  
“Mom?” Ben asked grinning from ear to ear.  
“Lisa?” Sam asked leaning against the cabin door.  
“I think I am being ganged up on here,” she laughed.  
“Just say yes,” Ben said.  
“Yeah, Lisa…just say yes,” Dean grinned.  
“What they said,” Sam chimed in.  
“Yes…yes and yes,” she laughed.  
“Cool,” Dean grinned then kissed her.


End file.
